Nationally, only 1 in 5 justice-engaged students graduate high school.
JES-CO reclaims education as a path towards liberation for justice-engaged and justice-adjacent youth.
Shut Down the Pipeline
Align a new group of state-wide collaborators committed to shutting down the School to Prison Nexus (STPN) at the intersection of school re-enrollment and continuation.
Train Advocates
Develop and offer training for how to support justice engaged youth to other youth, families, community-based organizations, justice, education, health & human services personnel.
Our Mission
Through broad community engagement, the JES-CO initiative accomplishes six goals:
Pursue Legislative Fixes
Recommend and pursue legislative fixes that enable the provisions in the JESBOR.
Develop a Bill of Rights
Develop a community-driven, lay friendly version of a Justice Engaged Student Bill of Rights (JESBOR) that provides guidance for navigating common challenges.
Center Student Voice
Gather 100 community voices to develop empathy and understanding of the educational barriers for adjudicated youth.
Fund Statewide Resources
Seek state funding for an adjudicated youth hotline (similar to Safe to Tell & I Matter) where students and families can receive guidance and support for school re-enrollment and success.
About HB 24-1216
House Bill 24‑1216 passed the Colorado House and Senate in 2024, codifying a pathway to high school completion for justice engaged students. This bill represents a landmark shift in Colorado — making the state the first in the nation to codify a “Bill of Rights” for justice-engaged K–12 students.
Our Approach
We provide critical support through three main areas:
Community Campuses
Community Campuses expand educational access by providing a collaborative, trauma-informed learning hub where education, workforce development, and mental health services operate under one roof.
School-Based Mentorship
The Lived Experience Immersion (LEI) program is an eight-week school-based program where students learn alongside mentors who have overcome incarceration, violence, and substance misuse. LEI offers healing-centered mentorship, leadership development, and self-reflection, empowering students to recognize their strengths and plan for their future.
Rural Support Initiatives
Rural Colorado serves over 130,000 students, many of whom are justice-engaged. We partner with rural leaders and national organizations to create equitable access to exceptional learning experiences so all students can thrive.
